SIMMER FREEMOVE 110L 2015 TEST REVIEW
SIMMER FREEMOVE 110L 2015 TEST REVIEW
THE LOW-DOWN
Made solely in wood-sandwich construction at Simmer’s Chinese resource, the 110 is the middle sibling of a three-board line-up and remains current for this season, having been introduced in 2014. Supplied with a 36cm fin, it is easily the widest board on test here at 75cm, yet one of the shortest, giving it a very rounded outline
BRAND CLAIM
“Perhaps you remember the first time you ever planed on a windsurfing board: the exhilaration that makes you still love windsurfing. When designing the Simmer Freemove, the number one objective has been to give you a taste of that feeling every time you sail. Whether drag racing with friends, looking for that 30knot peak on your GPS or nailing that high speed gybe, the Freemove will provide the performance you dream of with amazing ease.” Ola Helenius, Designer
PERFORMANCE
At first glance, one of the main attributes you notice about the Freemove is its flat deck, which, combined with its width provides a very stable secure platform and imparts it with an excellent weight carrying capacity. It is almost disc-like underfoot, being so wide yet short, but tracks well thanks to the sharp rails and pronounced vee in the hull. Deliver power and it responds instantly, making it easy to pump and release onto the plane – one of the best here but perhaps not so surprising as it has the largest width and quoted volume. Nevertheless, it was alert and lively once going, cutting through chop smoothly and gliding through lulls effortlessly. It seems to rise quite high from the water, the shoulders sitting well clear of danger whilst the wide thin tail keeps constant contact with the water to ensure control at all times. We did find the front straps were a little hard and unforgiving, but this is because they were set up with double screws in each side. The advantage was that the straps didn’t twist at all and were easy to locate; and the ability to revert them to the conventional single screw is there if you find them hard underfoot like us. Plough more power into the 110 and it continues to surge forward reaching an impressive top speed, particularly off the wind. Properly lit, it can also point fantastically high and whilst the fin will willingly let you know when it has reached its limit, it was easy to correct and pull back in line. The Freemove is also very practical and forgiving in the gybe, the flat deck providing the stability throughout, whilst the thin rails and rounded outline enable it to bite easily and display real versatility in the arc it prescribes. In rough seas it does require forceful rider input to keep the rails gripping in a tight turn, but if you do so, the reward of a fast exit is just around the corner.
THE VERDICT
Super early planing with a lively and exciting nature, the Freemove fuses ease and stability with accessible performance, enabling it to compliment the user’s own riding style and ambition.
Other sails in this test: